The 2025 United Nations Ocean Conference began this week in Nice, France, underlining urgent concerns about the planet’s oceans facing record-high temperatures, rising sea levels, and growing risks to coastal communities. Running from June 9 to 13, the conference is co-hosted by France and Costa Rica, bringing together world leaders, scientists, UN agencies, and activists to accelerate global action for ocean protection and resilience.
Opening remarks from UN Secretary-General Antรณnio Guterres, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves Robles highlighted the urgent need for science-led, bold interventions to halt the decline of ocean health. โWe live in an age of turmoil, but the resolve I see here gives me hope,โ Guterres said, acknowledging the planet’s growing climate-related threats.
The conference is expected to conclude with the adoption of the Nice Ocean Action Plan a broad political agreement featuring voluntary commitments aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water. Key priorities include strengthening marine biodiversity, promoting ocean-based climate solutions, and boosting sustainable financing for conservation efforts.
Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), called for enhanced global cooperation and open data sharing to reverse the damage to marine systems. She stressed the role of ocean observation programs like Argo a network of 4,000 robotic floats tracking ocean heat and sea-level changes as essential tools in forecasting and climate modeling.
A new initiative, โ10,000 Ships for the Ocean,โ will also be launched on June 13. The project aims to recruit thousands of commercial and research vessels worldwide to share real-time ocean and weather data, bolstering global monitoring systems critical for disaster preparedness and climate response.
Conference discussions also focused on early warning systems that have proven life-saving in recent extreme weather events. Successful examples from the Caribbean, Mozambique, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and the Philippines were shared, highlighting how timely forecasts and local preparedness prevented mass casualties during recent hurricanes and cyclones.
The WMOโs latest State of the Global Climate report delivered alarming figures: the heat content in the top 2,000 meters of the worldโs oceans rose by 16 zettajoules between 2023 and 2024 equivalent to 140 times the planetโs yearly electricity use. This rapid warming underscores the oceanโs pivotal role in the Earthโs climate system and the critical need for urgent global action.
The Nice Ocean Action Plan aims to provide lasting solutions by expanding climate-friendly ocean projects, protecting marine ecosystems, and empowering vulnerable coastal communities, especially Small Island Developing States.
As Celeste Saulo reminded delegates, “Even the perfect forecast will fail if it doesnโt reach the people who need it.” She called for stronger national weather services and closer partnerships with local populations to ensure no community is left behind.
With the ocean the Earthโs life-support system at a breaking point, the 2025 UN Ocean Conference represents a decisive moment for global leaders to safeguard this shared natural resource for future generations.